DEPARTMENT: SOCIAL STUDIES


GRADE LEVEL: 10

Area of Study: East Asian Geography and Society
  • Students can evaluate the differences and similarities among the Japanese, Koreans, and Chinese societies.
  • Students can evaluate how much of each country’s geography influences the modern day behavior of its people.
  • Students can analyze common stereotypes of each nation.
  • Students can identify the major geographical features, i.e. rivers, oceans, seas, mountain ranges, topography, climates, etc. in Pacific Asia.
  • Students can identify the important human geographical features of the region.

Area of Study: East Asian Religion and Philosophy
  • Student can analyze and evaluate the influence of Confucianism, Legalism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Shinto in those countries where those philosophies are present.
  • Students can compare and contrast the major values, ethics and views on human nature and government of each religion/philosophy.
  • Students can identify and evaluate each religion/philosophy in terms of contemporary Asian society.

Area of Study: East Asian History Prior to Western Contact of the late 18th Century
  • Students can identify the major epochs (dynasties, rulers) and their contributions to the respective societies of China, Korea and Japan.
  • Students can analyze some of the factors which contributed to the successes and failures of those epochs.

Area of Study: Western Contact and Imperialism
  • Students can analyze each of the three countries, Japan, Korea, and China, within the context of their respective encounters with the West.
  • Students can evaluate the different reactions each country had towards the West.
  • Students can trace Japan’s rise as an imperial power.
  • Students can explain the role of nationalism and militarism in modern Japan.
  • Students can evaluate the actions of Japan in China and Korea in the period leading up to World War II.
  • Students can discuss and evaluate the issue of reparations for victims of Japan's military aggression.

Area of Study: Twentieth Century Korea (with focus on the Korean War and its aftermath)
  • Students can understand the causes of the Korean War within the context of the Cold War.
  • Students can trace the course of the war.
  • Students can evaluate US and Chinese interference in the war.
  • Students can evaluate the outcomes of the war and the prospects for reunification.


Area of Study: China and Japan in the Post-World War Era

  • Students can identify the economic and political changes which took place in post-war China and Japan.
  • Students can evaluate the immediate and long term effects of the Revolution on China.
  • Students can analyze the policies of Mao Zedong, and the impact of those policies on China's society and economy.
  • Students can identify the forces involved in the restructuring of China after Mao.
  • Students can evaluate China's accendancy to becoming a world power.